Chapter 6 - The Father Rachel BuriedThe caller's number was blocked.
Daniel traced what he could.
Nothing.
No carrier.
No location.
No record.
Samuel barely slept.
At sunrise, he returned to Rachel's hidden room.
He searched the shelves again.
A folder labeled MERCER contained contracts, photographs, and bank statements.
But there was no explanation.
Then Nora found a hidden compartment beneath the floor.
Inside was a cassette tape.
Old-fashioned.
Samuel found a player.
Rachel's voice returned.
“I don't know how much time I have.”
A pause.
“Jordan knows about the account.”
Another pause.
“Madeline knows about Avery.”
Samuel closed his eyes.
Rachel continued.
“There is a man who believes Avery is his daughter.”
Samuel's breath stopped.
“He has never met her.”
The tape crackled.
“He doesn't know what was done to him.”
Nora whispered, “What does that mean?”
The recording continued.
“His name is Adrian Cross.”
Samuel looked at her.
“Cross?”
“Madeline.”
Rachel said:
“Adrian is Madeline's older brother.”
Samuel stared.
Rachel continued.
“Years ago, before I married Jordan, I was involved with Adrian.”
Nora's eyes widened.
“He disappeared.”
Rachel's voice broke.
“I was told he was dead.”
The tape became distorted.
“He wasn't.”
Then another voice appeared.
A man's voice.
Jordan.
“You promised you'd destroy that.”
Rachel answered:
“I can't.”
Jordan:
“You know what he'll do.”
Rachel:
“He won't hurt Avery.”
Jordan laughed.
“You don't know him anymore.”
The recording ended.
Samuel stood motionless.
Nora looked at him.
“Adrian Cross.”
Samuel shook his head.
“Why would Madeline hide her own brother?”
“Maybe because he knows something.”
A noise came from downstairs.
They froze.
Someone had entered the house.
Samuel reached for a fireplace poker.
Footsteps climbed the stairs.
Slowly.
A shadow appeared beneath the doorway.
Then a voice.
“Mr. Vale?”
Samuel recognized it.
The private investigator he had hired the night before.
“Come in.”
The man entered.
His face was pale.
“I found Adrian Cross.”
Samuel lowered the poker.
“Where?”
“He's alive.”
Samuel stared.
“Where?”
The investigator hesitated.
“He lives less than twenty miles from Charleston.”
“Take me.”
Adrian lived in an old coastal house.
He opened the door himself.
He was in his late forties.
Lean.
Gray at the temples.
A scar ran along one cheek.
His eyes went directly to Samuel.
Then to the blue elastic in Samuel's hand.
His face changed.
“Rachel.”
Samuel stepped inside.
“You knew her.”
Adrian laughed softly.
“I never stopped knowing her.”
“Why were you hidden?”
“Ask Madeline.”
“I am asking you.”
Adrian looked toward the sea.
“Because my sister convinced everyone I was dead.”
Samuel studied him.
“Why?”
“She thought I was dangerous.”
“Were you?”
Adrian looked at him.
“Yes.”
Samuel's hand tightened.
“What did you do?”
“Nothing to Rachel.”
“Then why was she afraid?”
Adrian's voice softened.
“She wasn't afraid of me.”
“Then who?”
Adrian turned.
“Jordan.”
Samuel's heart raced.
“Why?”
Adrian gave a bitter smile.
“Because Jordan wasn't supposed to marry Rachel.”
Samuel said nothing.
Adrian continued.
“Rachel was supposed to leave Charleston with me.”
“What changed?”
“Money.”
Samuel frowned.
“Whose money?”
“The Vale family fortune.”
Adrian looked at him.
“Rachel was carrying something Jordan wanted.”
“What?”
“A ledger.”
Samuel's blood chilled.
“The blue ledger.”
Adrian nodded.
“It belonged to my father.”
“Madeline's father?”
“Yes.”
“What's inside?”
“Names.”
“Names of who?”
“Politicians. Judges. businessmen. people who bought silence.”
Samuel stared.
“And Jordan?”
Adrian's answer was quiet.
“Jordan was one of them.”
Samuel stood abruptly.
“What did he buy?”
Adrian looked toward the window.
“A death.”
“Whose?”
Adrian turned back.
“Rachel's.”
Samuel's face went white.
“But if you knew…”
“I found out too late.”
Then Adrian said the sentence Samuel had feared most.
“Rachel called me the night she died.”
“Why didn't you save her?”
“Because I was already dead.”
Samuel frowned.
“What?”
Adrian stepped closer.
“She didn't call me.”
He pointed to the blue elastic.
“She called the person wearing this.”
Samuel looked at Avery's hair tie.
May you like
Adrian whispered:
“Your granddaughter.”
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